


Second chance

by Donya



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, I had a fever while writing this, M/M, Reminiscing, Reunited and It Feels So Good, no one dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-02-07 11:00:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18619300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donya/pseuds/Donya
Summary: After Ragnarok, Loki and Thor arrive safely on Earth and after years of successfully avoiding his ex, Loki now has to face Tony Stark again.





	Second chance

Loki never thought he would be going back to Earth. Maybe for half an hour or so to check on Odin, but certainly not to stay there. And yet he, Thor and what was left of their people were heading towards Midgard. He didn't have many options left, he was sure he could find some other place for himself once the shock of watching his home explode would pass. For now, he was returning to the place he vowed not to visit again.

Thor was optimistic about their future, talked about New Asgard and was convinced Loki was going to be allowed to live there with him. The Avengers hadn't forgotten about his deeds, the infuriating sorcerer wasn't too keen on having him wander the Earth either. That wasn't Loki's biggest problem though. There was another reason why coming back to Earth filled him with apprehension. Tony Stark was there. There was no way he was going to miss Loki's arrival. They hadn't seen each other in years and their breakup wasn't particularly amicable. How was he going to react to seeing Loki again? It seemed unlikely Tony was still harbouring nostalgic desires for him. He might have moved on and started a family with a better person. Loki tortured himself with imagining the worst case scenarios. The closer they got to Earth, the more worried he became.

To his relief, Tony wasn't waiting for them. They settled in Norway, in Tønsberg. Loki would've chosen a different location, but his days of ruling the Asgardians were over. With a quiet sense of relief, he let Thor deal with the dull Midgardians and the everyday problems of the newly established New Asgard. A full fortnight passed and there was no sign of Tony. That was a clear message. Unless he was waiting for Loki to make the first move. Or that was a new reality: he and Tony living in the same realm, but avoiding each other.

The first hectic days in Norway left Loki feeling conflicted. Part of him couldn't believe he was still at Thor's side. He would go for a walk on the shore of Oslofjorden, alone, wondering what his next goal could be. For the first time in his life, he didn't have a home, the home he used to hate but now missed dearly. Thor accepted his presence in New Asgard, not mentioning again their conversation in the lift on Sakaar. They weren't two brothers, fighting together for the good of Asgard anymore. Everything changed and Loki asked himself when Thor would lose his patience and cast him out of the new settlement.

Loki walked along Ringshaug Beach, fortunately, empty due to the cold drizzle. He stopped to look at the steel-grey waters of Oslofjorden and struggled to come up with a plan. He couldn't stay where he was forever. The wind was moving the grass around him and muffled the sound of approaching footsteps. Loki only noticed someone was coming when he saw a figure out of a corner of his gaze. He immediately recognised the man, the height, the gait, the clothes, it had to be Tony. Loki looked at him, then turned to the fjord again. He guessed they had to have that confrontation sooner or later, but he was nervous about it. Would disappearing right then and there expose him as a coward? He steeled himself to stay and wait for Tony.

'Norway, huh? You must love his place, it's so damn cold and unpleasant,' Tony said, his tone neutral and his face unsmiling.

Loki bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a smirk. Tony knew him so well. He glanced at him, realising he forgot how infinitely desireable Tony was. Even in plain clothes, with his hair damp and new lines on his face, something inside Loki urged him to take a step towards him and let Tony embrace him. He missed him so much.

'Steven Strange sends me. I heard you two met already. He said you were insufferable,' Tony revealed with something close to fondness in his voice. 'He'll allow you to stay here only as long as you behave yourself. No more _taking over the world_ stuff. You'll be kept on a short leash now.'

Loki's first thought was: oh, so that's why he came and second: was Tony's word choice accidental and innocent or was he alluding to the time when he actually had Loki on a leash?

The rain was growing heavier, the wind stronger. The sky was dark, it was hard to believe it was only early afternoon. Loki didn't mind such weather, but soon Tony was drenched to the skin. and it had to bother him. The proper thing to do was to end their conversation by promising not to cause any problems and let him seek shelter from the rain. They couldn't stand there, on the shore, forever, especially in silence.

'It's not that I don't enjoy getting pneumonia, but maybe you could respond to what I said,' Tony moved to stand right in front of Loki, making it impossible to ignore him. 'Also, I'm starting to suspect I won't hear an apology for your pretending to be dead.' Tony said, with a hurt expression. 'What, you didn't think I'd care?' He asked when puzzlement appeared on Loki's face.

'To be honest, yes, that's exactly what I thought,' Loki replied, taken aback by Tony's words. He faked his death after they had broken up, to kill two birds with one stone. He avoided further punishment and finally became the king of Asgard, and to avoid revealing his true identity, he had to stay away from Midgard and Tony. No matter how much he missed Tony or how lonely he felt, he lost the opportunity to try to get back together with him, unless he wanted Thor to find out the truth. It was a brilliant plan, Loki thought when he set it in motion, Tony couldn't reject his plea for a second chance if Loki was officially deceased. The throne of Asgard and getting rid of both Thor and Odin, while satisfying, didn't exactly fill the void left by Tony's absence. He never stopped to think how Tony would react to the news of his tragic passing. Perhaps it was easier to believe Tony wouldn't be affected by his death.

'Well, now you know,' Tony said bitterly and for a moment they were looking into each other's eyes. Loki looked away first. Despite what people thought, his motivation for pretending to be dead was not punishing those who loved him.

'You can tell Doctor Strange his message has been received and I accept his conditions. Goodbye.' Loki started walking towards New Asgard. He imagined his reunion with Tony and none of his version matched the reality. Knowing that Tony mourned him only added to his sadness.

'Just like that?' Tony asked incredulously. 'That's it?'

Loki stopped and looked over his shoulder at Tony. 'I'm in no mood to start a fight. Not after the last time...' Loki wanted to tell Tony about his last visit to Norway but changed his mind in the last moment.

Tony's features softened and he went up to him. 'I heard what happened. I'm sorry about your loss.'

Loki looked at Oslofjorden and recalled a similar scenery, the place when he last saw his father. 'I dreamt of that moment for so long, but I felt no joy when he died,' he confessed, feeling a dull ache in his chest. 'Before it, he said he loved me and that my mother would be proud of me. I preferred hating him. Now he's gone and I don't know how I feel about that.'

'Yeah, that's the problem with fathers. No matter how much they suck at parenting, their kids miss them when they die. I was sure I'd feel relieved once Howard died. Now I wish I could talk to him one more time and say I understand him now.'

Loki gave a nod and remembered all the times he and Tony had conversations like this, about things they never told anyone else. How much they trusted each other back then, it seemed almost unreal now. Tony was the only person whom Loki told about the horror and disbelief of seeing his skin turn blue for the first time. Only he knew how hard it was for Loki to accept his true identity. Everyone else, including Thor, were to believe Loki was glad to have found out he was the prince of Jotunheim and greatly appreciated his new powers. Loki assumed that even if he met Tony again, they would never talk like that again.

'Look, I parked just over there. We can talk in the car,'' Tony suggested casually as if they hadn't spent years apart after an explosive fight. 'I have marshmallows,' he added with a small smile.

Loki's heart gave a leap. Tony remembered. Not only that; he also specifically bought marshmallows for Loki. When they were together, Loki would stuff his face with those soft sweets whenever Tony bought him some. Fortunately Tony didn't particularly like them, Loki loved him but it was best not to know for sure if more than he loved those Midgardian treats.

Loki half-expected to be shoved into the back seat, smothered with kisses and fondled through his clothes. It wouldn't be the first time. Tony did take off his jacket but only because it was dripping wet. They got in and Loki was flooded with memories. Nights when Tony would drive them around the city when he couldn't sleep, a time when he tried to teach Loki how to drive, moments when Loki would look at him thinking how much he loved him.

'Here,' Tony handed him a large packet of marshmallows. 'Straight from New York.'

Loki was chewing when Tony told him he became a father figure. Was his intention making Loki choke to death on a marshmallow?

'Okay, fine, I should've phrased it differently. No, I don't have my own kid. Officially, he's my intern. Do you want to see our picture? Look at this dork.' 

While Tony described his new role as a mentor, Loki ate one marshmallow after another to avoid responding. One of Tony's obsessions was his legacy. He desperately wanted to change the world for the better and if he didn't succeed, his child could carry on his work. Loki was surprised to learn that, having witnessed Tony's self-destructive habits. Somehow the same man who willingly put his life in danger when no one asked him to do that, that man wanted to become a father. Apart from gifting the world with a new, hopefully improved version of himself, Tony's motivation was proving to himself that he could break the cycle of bad parenting. He was told many times, by various people, not to judge Howard so harshly and try to understand what made him aloof, but Tony was sure any man could be a decent father if he really wanted to, regardless of unresolved daddy issues. Loki let him think that until Tony suggested they had a child together. Just like that, a child, to show the world Tony Stark could be a brilliant dad. Loki tried to reason with him and told him about the less glamours parts of parenthood: constant worrying, endless doubt, never-ending fear of losing the child. Now, listening to Tony's stories about the misbehaving teenager, Loki felt a faint satisfaction. Not that easy to look after a child, is it?

'I'll admit that,' Tony started bravely. 'You were right. I had no idea what I talking about. Pete's aunt is the one who makes sure he eats three normal meals a day and does his homework, and yet I feel exhausted. I worry about him all the time. Am I helping him? Am I leading him stray? Does the suit I built for him keep him safe or encourage him to risk his life? I don't know. I thought I was being a responsible adult, but I brought him to a foreign country to fight Captain America.'

'I'm sure you're doing all you can for this boy,' Loki offered generously.

'Yeah, all I can, but it is good enough for Peter? What if one day he follows me into a battle and never comes back home? It'd my fault. People have already criticised me for bringing Pete into all this, maybe he is too young, but I assumed it was better for him to be a superhero under my guidance. He's so enthusiastic about the idea of becoming the youngest Avenger. Maybe I just want to replace Cap with someone who actually wants to be a member of this team, for better or for worse.'

'If you're interested in hearing my opinion, I think Peter is safer with you than without you.'

'I'm always interested in hearing your opinion. And thanks. I'm still anxious, though.'

They sat awhile in silence. Loki thought about how they got there and what a strange journey that had been. He was just settling into the new routine of living in the dungeons and plotting his revenge when Tony managed to convince Odin and Thor that it was too lenient a sentence. Also, leaving enemies in prison so they could plan another, more catastrophic attack was a mistake Tony didn't want to repeat. Another reason to force Loki to actually clean after himself was the risk of unsavoury characters getting their hands on the Chitauri technology that was scattered all over New York. Thus Loki ended up doing what Tony called community service in New York. Thor, who escorted the prisoner to and from Earth, didn't need to know what happened after a long day of work. He found out soon enough when Loki couldn't hide his enthusiasm about his punishment.

'You know,' Tony started, looking at him, 'I can't remember why we broke up. I know we had an argument, I broke a bottle, you stepped on the glass with your bare foot and all hell broke loose. I'm pretty sure it was one of those fights about everything and nothing, _You're always doing this, you're never doing that_. I wanted to believe we had a very good reason to split up, but the longer I think about it, the less sure I am what it was.'

Loki felt the same way. He remembered leaving Tony's house that night, fuming, swearing to never come back to Tony, no matter how much he begged him to return. He left everything behind, assuming Tony would either apologise to him or at least send Loki's stuff back too Asgard via Thor. When his anger faded away, Loki had already replaced Odin and couldn't see Tony anymore. Maybe that, or maybe it was forced loneliness and sleepless nights spent on pondering his life choices that helped Loki realise something unpleasant. It wasn't Tony's fault they separated, or Thor's or Odin's. It was Loki's. He was a horrible boyfriend, unable to appreciate what he was given. He couldn't even blame Tony's closest friend, the one who borrowed one of Tony's suits. Even he made a real effort to accept Loki as his friend's partner. The person who didn't try enough was Loki.

After the blissful and exciting honeymoon period, it became clear Tony wasn't coping with the trauma he experienced. Aliens attacking his city, getting stuck in the outer space with no hope of rescue, losing control, that was too much for Tony. His usual unhealthy habits only exacerbated the problem. When Loki started spending more time with Tony, he discovered his Midgardian couldn't sleep and when he finally fell asleep, he had awful nightmares. Obviously, he was reliving the day he was sure he would die and Loki didn't know how to help him. It was bad enough to witness Tony's struggle, but the fact that not once did Tony suggest he blamed Loki made the god regret everything. Tony had an idea how to deal with the aftermath of the Chitauri attack and that was bracing for another battle. That became his new obsession, building one suit after another, quickly, before a new threat presented itself. He wanted to be ready when he had to defend the Earth again. Loki could understand that, yet it frustrated him that he had to compete with metal suits for Tony's attention. Later he started to think he wasn't actually angry with Tony, but with himself. Had he not agreed to retrieve the Tesseract from Midgard, none of that would have happened. Tony would have remained his usual, cocky self, drinking, partying, but at least he could get a good night's sleep. And he would've met someone who wouldn't damage him like Loki did.

It was already too late to fix anything when Loki examined his own actions more critically than ever before. Despite that, he knew what he should've done. Tony needed more patience and support back then, not pointless fights. If Loki had tried harder, or at all, he wouldn't have spent years regretting his decisions.

'I'm not entirely sure the differences between us really were irreconcilable,' Tony continued. 'I mean, yeah, we had different goals and... What I'm trying to say is that maybe it was simply not the right moment for us.'

Loki didn't quite know what to say to that. Did Tony simply want to make peace with his ex because now they lived on the same planet? Or did he suggest the current timing was better for them? If yes, was it wise to try again? Loki's heart still ached when he recalled the conversation he had with Thor on Saakar. The last person who loved him became indifferent to him. Could he risk that happening again, now with Tony?

'I agree it wasn't the best possible moment for us,' Loki started cautiously.

'I've got all your things if you want them back,' Tony said out of the blue. Loki noticed he was leaning a bit closer to him now.

'Have you? Thor mentioned you've moved.'

'I did.' Tony was definitely leaning towards him. The parking lot was empty, the rain pelting the window, just the two of them sitting close to each other. They were almost touching. That was what Loki had been craving for years, an opportunity like that. He could simply kiss him, reignite the fire that used to burn inside him whenever Tony touched him.

'I have a suggestion,' Tony said. 'Let's agree we were crappy boyfriends back then and let's start again. I'm a big fan of second chances. What do you think?'

Loki learnt that if he pushed people away, they would eventually leave him alone and he realised he didn't want to be alone. A second chance at happiness was tempting. Besides, Tony needed help with Peter. Loki preferred dealing with a teenager with superpowers than with disapproving Asgardians, who had no appreciation for what head did for them.

'I think it's worth trying again.'

Tony smiled and finally kissed him. It felt comforting and familiar, exactly what Loki needed. He kissed him back and right then they saw the bright flash of lightning and a moment later, heard loud thunder.

'I guess Thor isn't really okay with us being together,' Tony laughed as Loki nuzzled into him. 

 

Tony had been toying with the idea of buying a lake house. He liked living close to the ocean when he was younger, now he appreciated the peace and quiet of living next to a lake.

It was just as he imagined. Peaceful. Quiet. With bugs and humidity, but he loved it nevertheless. There was a tiny beach close to the house and he and Loki were lying there on a blanket, enjoying the first rainless day that week. The weather was perfect, the water calm. 'We can actually go swimming,' Tony suggested. 'Together, at the same time.'

Loki nodded as he was refilling his glass of iced coffee. 'Yes. We can. Maybe in a moment.'

It was one of their first days without the baby since she was born. They didn't quite know how to spend it. All the fun activities they planned weren't as appealing as lazing around. Besides, Morgan's babysitter, while extremely enthusiastic, was rather inexperienced. Tony glanced at them sitting on another blanket, just a stone's throw away from him and Loki. Morgan was beaming at Peter, amazed at the web he suspended between two trees. He was her new favourite person, always there to entertain her and he never tortured her with a diaper change or a bath.

'You really poured money down the drain when you bought all those expensive, interactive toys for her,' Loki remarked, watching their daughter play with Peter's web.

That was true. Before Peter arrived that morning, Morgan was playing with Tony's shoe and later cried when he took it away to put on his foot. He tried to distract her with one of her countless cuddly toys, but it was pointless.

The sound of Morgan's laughter and Pete's voice encouraging her to move towards him almost convinced Tony to relax and go for a swim. Seconds later, though, they heard Peter's frantic 'No, no, not this way,' and Morgan's cry of utter despair. She wandered off the blanket right into a muddy puddle right under Pete's web. The result was predictable. Peter was holding a wriggling, muddy child whose all ten hairs were stuck in the web. 'Oh, shi- sh kebab. Morgan, don't cry, it's all right.'

Loki sighed and set his half-full glass on the blanket. Tony put his hand on his arm. 'He's got this. Stay here'.

'Err, Mr Stark?' Peter sounded like he was about to start panicking. He lifted Morgan higher to show Tony the seriousness of the situation. 'Little help?'

'You're doing great. Morgan, don't cry, it's okay.'

Peter hesitated for a second, then walked into the lake, washed the mud off the child and tried to remove the web from her delicate hair.

'See? He's doing great,' Tony noted with pride.

'You're right.'

'We'll let him babysit her again.'

'Yes, of course.'

'And we'll stay this close to them the whole time.'

'Maybe even closer. At least he didn't plan it. Thor would push me into the mud all the time when we were children.'

'On purpose?'

Loki grabbed Tony's right hand and shook it in front of his face, drawing his attention to the wedding ring. 'In case you've forgotten, this means you are legally obligated to take my side in all conflicts between me and Thor.'

After over a year of marriage, Tony learnt it was a much more complicated thing than he imagined. 'You're right. Next time I see him, I'll tell him what a jerk of a brother he was to you.'

'If, by any chance, it will be raining that day, feel free to push him into the mud. For me.'

Loki eventually got up to help Pete when Morgan's wailing became really unbearable. Tony watched them from his blanket. He pinched his forearm. It was real. He had everything, a perfect family. Loki and Peter struck up an unlikely friendship. Tony was hoping they would at least not hate each other, everything else was a bonus. 

Pete was a part of their family, Morgan's beloved big brother. It was real. Tony looked at him now and remembered how he saw him lying motionlessly on the ground after the airport battle. The fear of losing him was still there, but he was fine. He graduated from high school and got into trouble less often than Tony thought. It seemed everything was fine.

It'd been years since Tony's short trip to space. He devoted so much of his time and effort to find ways of protecting the Earth and his loved ones. But the attack he anticipated never happened. He waited and waited, looking over his shoulder and ahead, searching for signs of impending doom. It could never come, he thought now, and he had done enough to deserve a break. A nice, languid day with his family.

Loki came back, wet and tired. 'Morgan lost two hairs. Pete was more devastated than she was and I had to comfort both of them.'

'Great job, honey.'

They heard a loud shriek and it took them a second to realise it was Peter. Morgan pinched his arm, a nasty trick she learnt from Thor. Peter got to his feet and started running away from Morgan, amusingly slowly, so she could catch up to him moving on all fours.

A sudden, far more sinister sound made Tony turn around sharply, expecting to see a monster or one of his teammates arriving to alert him of an oncoming battle. What he saw was one of the trees falling down. Just that. He still had to listen to Loki telling him he should've cut the old tree when he was first told, but he didn't mind. He was just glad he didn't have to abandon them to save the world. Pete was going to stay for dinner and everything was going to be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> I mean, thanks to Tony, a version of Loki is alive somewhere, that's something.
> 
> Also, the introduction of Morgan Stark hit me right in the feels. I've always liked the idea of Tony being a daddy. That was so sweet. Almost as touching as his looking after Peter.


End file.
